Former Warriors volleyball standout to play at the next level

Katie Oxsping has known Rylee Pitney since the now former Wasilla Warriors volleyball standout was in middle school.

“I remember when she came in as a seventh-grader,” Oxspring said of Pitney. “She has really grown.”

Now, Oxspring is looking forward to watching the former Warriors volleyball standout continue her growth on the court. Pitney, a recent WHS graduate who helped the Warriors win the ASAA Division I state title as a senior, has committed to Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher, Arizona, and will play for the Lady Monsters.

“She has so much potential,” Oxspring said of Pitney, a 6-foot-3 outside hitter. “She went as far as she could and we went as far as we could for Alaska high school volleyball.”

Eastern Arizona is part of the National Junior College Athletic Association Region I, the Division I of junior college programs.

“It’s going to be a great stepping stone from Alaska volleyball to junior college,” Oxspring said. “It’s going to be great. It’s a faster pace. She’s going to have to be able to pick up and learn, and I think she's going to be great at it.”

Oxspring played in that conference during her collegiate career at Yavapai College.

Oxspring said Pitney’s opportunity to play as a freshman is also key.

In addition to helping lead Wasilla to the state championship in November of 2023, Pitney earned a spot on the all-tournament team at state and was named the Northern Lights Conference Player of the Year. She was named to the all-tournament team at four tourneys during the regular season.

Pitney also a member of the WHS softball team, carried a 4.2 grade point average and was a finalist for the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman/Mat-Su Sea Hawkers Student-Athlete of the Year Award.

Oxspring said Pitney continued to evolve throughout her prep career.

“The biggest change between her junior and senior years was her drive and desire to play volleyball,” Oxspring said. “She soaked in every sort of knowledge the coaches had, and she was a real leader. To see her come in as a seventh-grader and graduate as a senior, there is so much change in her mental game as well as her physical game, and her drive.”

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at editor@frontiersman.com.